38.32

REPLACEMENT OF FS ALLOTMENTS, FOOD
DESTROYED IN A DISASTER AND PARTIAL ALLOTMENTS

(1)Tennessee
issues all food stamp benefits through an electronic benefit transfer (EBT)
system.These electronic benefits are
directly deposited into a unique account created for the specific food stamp
case/cat/seq.There are no paper
coupons or other form of currency issued that could be destroyed in a
disaster, so benefits that are lost, destroyed or stolen are only lost,
destroyed or stolen after the household has taken possession of the benefits;
therefore, lost or stolen allotments are not replaced.Only food destroyed or spoiled in a
disaster may be replaced.

Only food destroyed or spoiled in a household misfortune may be
replaced. This can include power outages (12 hours or more), fire, wind,
flood or other misfortune. This would not include power turned off due to
non‐payment.These replacements would
not require State Office approval prior to issuing these benefits.

(2)Access to the EBT
account is only via the Benefit Security Card and Personal Identification
Number (PIN), which are issued separately from locations remote from the
state.See the Benefit Issuance Manual for detailed information on card and PIN
issuance and replacement.

(3)Replacement of Food
Destroyed in a Disaster/Household Misfortune

When
food purchased with food stamps is destroyed in a disaster/household
misfortune affecting a participating household, the household may be eligible
for replacement of the actual value of loss, as follows:

2.a community
organization such as the Fire Department or the Red Cross, or

3.a home visit.

(d)If
the household meets the above criteria, the household shall be provided a
replacement allotment within 10 calendar days of the reported loss.

(e)Replacement of
food destroyed in a disaster/household misfortune shall be made, subject to
the above criteria, in cases of an individual household misfortune, such as
fire or power outages of 12 hours or more, as well as in natural disasters which
could affect more than one households.

(f)FNS Declared Disasters

Replacements are still issued by the county without state office
approval.In cases where
FNS has issued a disaster declaration, the household will have
different budgets and conditions of eligibility for disaster benefits.Special determination and process will be
developed in a Declared disaster.State Office will issue Instructions in these type disaster benefits.